Beating Insomnia Without Pills

Trouble falling asleep, getting back to sleep after you wake up in the middle of the night, or waking up way too early in the morning deprives you of essential rests. If any of these afflict you regularly, you have insomnia, and you’re far from alone. Up to two-­thirds of all adults in this country experience at least one episode of insomnia per year. For about 15% of men and women, insomnia is chronic.

Visit a primary care physician or internist for insomnia and chances are you’ll be prescribed sleeping pills. Sleeping pills may help you grab a little more shut­eye, but they also carry possible side effects of dizziness, nightmares, headache, nausea, overeating, and agitation. Even if you don’t experience any of these, sleeping pills only provide a temporary fix, and can actually become addictive.

Instead, you want to get at the source of your problem and to treat the underlying issue. To accomplish that, chiropractic care may be your best bet. Chiropractic provides a non invasive, all natural option for a wide array of health issues, including insomnia. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation reports that one third of people who receive chiropractic adjustments experience immediate improvements in sleep. We, at Back to Health, have helped countless patients overcome insomnia.

Health Issues Linked to Insomnia

This is great news, not just because sleep deprivation makes you ineffective at school, work or home, but also because a lack of sleep increases your risk for a number of serious health issues, such as stroke and heart disease.

Causes of Insomnia

While the causes of insomnia aren’t entirely understood, experts classify the condition into two different types:

Secondary insomnia : With this form of insomnia, your sleeplessness is associated with another condition such a s sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or another neurological or medical illness.

Primary insomnia : This type of insomnia is not attributed to a medical cause or anything in your environment. It is considered psychophysiological because learned sleep avoidance behaviors are to blame, and the cause is unknown.

One theory as to why you may experience primary or secondary insomnia has to do with chemicals that your brain manufactures to help you sleep, such as muramyl peptide, dopamine, and acetylcholine. When something disrupts the release of these substances, insomnia may occur.

Subluxations and Sleep Hormones

Subluxations are misalignments of the spine that interfere with nerve function. When you have one or more subluxations in the upper cervical spine ­­ where the head meets the neck ­­ it may negatively affect the nerves that create impulses to flood your brain with the sleep hormones. As a result, your sleep cycles become disturbed, and you may find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.

How Chiropractic Care Helps

Research suggests that people report improvements in their sleep patterns and fewer episodes of insomnia as a result of Chiropractic care. Chiropractors use non-­invasive adjustments to help realign the vertebrae, including those in your upper neck, which takes the pressure off the nerves allowing your body to function properly, including getting enough sleep.

Chiropractic care can also alleviate back and neck pain that’s keeping you from getting enough shuteye. Your Chiropractor may recommend a certain kind of pillow or mattress, or suggest a sleeping position that may help. If you’re struggling with insomnia and live in Santa Clarita, California or Valencia, California, come see us at Back to Health Chiropractic Center for a possible long term chiropractic solution ­­ no pills necessary.

AuthorDr. Carolyn GriffinDr. Carolyn Griffin is a Chiropractor and has been in practice for over 21 years. She has a strong presence in her community and loves sharing knowledge and health guidance with more than just her practice.